Unique boat built for comfort and exploring a notoriously wet city
Adam Karpenske was originally seeking a way to warm up on wet, chilly winter days due to his untraditional abode when he came up with the idea to launch a company with these specially-designed boats.
By
Brian Lada, AccuWeather meteorologist
Published Feb 19, 2022 8:00 AM EDT
|
Updated Feb 18, 2022 4:16 PM EDT
The creator of the Hot Tub Boats in Seattle is marking 10 years of business through snow, plenty of rain and a historic heat wave.
Red sky at night, sailor's delight is how the old adage goes and usually means that a good day of weather at sea can be foretold by a pristine red sunset the day before. But for one business in Seattle, the weather doesn't have to be good or bad in order to have a relaxing day on the water.
Cruising around Lake Union, located just north of downtown Seattle, are a handful of custom-built boats that offer a personalized sanctuary from the often rainy and chilly Seattle weather in the form of a hot tub.
These hot tub boats have been navigating the waters of Lake Union for a decade and counting, giving residents and visitors a unique view of the city.
The Seattle skyline visible in the distance from a hot tub boat. (AccuWeather/Bill Wadell)
Adam Karpenske is the founder of the company Hot Tub Boats, which operates six of the nautical oases year-round, and recently talked with AccuWeather National Reporter Bill Wadell about how the company came into existence.
Kapenske lived on a boat during the cold and rainy Seattle winters and wanted to warm up in a hot tub without installing one on his boat. Then, an idea occurred to Kapenske: "Let's build a floating hot tub."
Within six weeks, the first hot tub boat was built and cruising around Union Lake in style.
Adam Karpenske, the founder of Hot Tub Boats, talks about how the specially designed boats work. (AccuWeather/Bill Wadell)
Hot Tub Boats currently has a fleet of six boats that can carry 2,500 pounds of water at a steamy 104 degrees Fahrenheit.
The boats can be rented and operated rain or shine, and during the winter months that often means in cold, wet weather.
"The boats are electrically driven and then we have a slick little diesel boiler system that we've kind of done some magic to make it work and keep the boats hot at 104 in a rainstorm in the winter," Kapenske told Wadell.
"We wouldn't really have much of a business if we said we're not doing this in the rain," he added.
Soaking in a steamy hot tub may not be as alluring during the hotter summer months, so to lure in customers, the company switches gears by filling the boats with cooler, refreshing water.
This was the case last summer when Seattle hit triple digits three days in a row, including an all-time record high of 108 F on June 28, 2021.
It was not nearly that warm in Seattle on Feb. 14 when Wadell had the opportunity to float in one of the hot tub boats, enjoying the sights of Seattle while keeping warm in the climate-controlled water while air temperatures were in the 40s F.
AccuWeather National Reporter Bill Wadell soaks in a hot tub boat with the Seattle skyline in the background. (AccuWeather/Bill Wadell)
People interested in partaking in this unique experience can book a rental from Hot Tub Boat. There can be up to six people in a boat at one time, and the person making the reservation must be at least 21 years of age.
Additional reporting by AccuWeather National Reporter Bill Wadell.
For the latest weather news, check back on AccuWeather.com. Watch the AccuWeather Network on DIRECTV, Frontier, Spectrum, fuboTV, Philo, and Verizon Fios. AccuWeather Now is now available on your preferred streaming platform.
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News / Travel
Unique boat built for comfort and exploring a notoriously wet city
Adam Karpenske was originally seeking a way to warm up on wet, chilly winter days due to his untraditional abode when he came up with the idea to launch a company with these specially-designed boats.
By Brian Lada, AccuWeather meteorologist
Published Feb 19, 2022 8:00 AM EDT | Updated Feb 18, 2022 4:16 PM EDT
The creator of the Hot Tub Boats in Seattle is marking 10 years of business through snow, plenty of rain and a historic heat wave.
Red sky at night, sailor's delight is how the old adage goes and usually means that a good day of weather at sea can be foretold by a pristine red sunset the day before. But for one business in Seattle, the weather doesn't have to be good or bad in order to have a relaxing day on the water.
Cruising around Lake Union, located just north of downtown Seattle, are a handful of custom-built boats that offer a personalized sanctuary from the often rainy and chilly Seattle weather in the form of a hot tub.
These hot tub boats have been navigating the waters of Lake Union for a decade and counting, giving residents and visitors a unique view of the city.
The Seattle skyline visible in the distance from a hot tub boat. (AccuWeather/Bill Wadell)
Adam Karpenske is the founder of the company Hot Tub Boats, which operates six of the nautical oases year-round, and recently talked with AccuWeather National Reporter Bill Wadell about how the company came into existence.
Kapenske lived on a boat during the cold and rainy Seattle winters and wanted to warm up in a hot tub without installing one on his boat. Then, an idea occurred to Kapenske: "Let's build a floating hot tub."
Within six weeks, the first hot tub boat was built and cruising around Union Lake in style.
Adam Karpenske, the founder of Hot Tub Boats, talks about how the specially designed boats work. (AccuWeather/Bill Wadell)
Hot Tub Boats currently has a fleet of six boats that can carry 2,500 pounds of water at a steamy 104 degrees Fahrenheit.
The boats can be rented and operated rain or shine, and during the winter months that often means in cold, wet weather.
"The boats are electrically driven and then we have a slick little diesel boiler system that we've kind of done some magic to make it work and keep the boats hot at 104 in a rainstorm in the winter," Kapenske told Wadell.
"We wouldn't really have much of a business if we said we're not doing this in the rain," he added.
Soaking in a steamy hot tub may not be as alluring during the hotter summer months, so to lure in customers, the company switches gears by filling the boats with cooler, refreshing water.
This was the case last summer when Seattle hit triple digits three days in a row, including an all-time record high of 108 F on June 28, 2021.
It was not nearly that warm in Seattle on Feb. 14 when Wadell had the opportunity to float in one of the hot tub boats, enjoying the sights of Seattle while keeping warm in the climate-controlled water while air temperatures were in the 40s F.
AccuWeather National Reporter Bill Wadell soaks in a hot tub boat with the Seattle skyline in the background. (AccuWeather/Bill Wadell)
People interested in partaking in this unique experience can book a rental from Hot Tub Boat. There can be up to six people in a boat at one time, and the person making the reservation must be at least 21 years of age.
Additional reporting by AccuWeather National Reporter Bill Wadell.
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For the latest weather news, check back on AccuWeather.com. Watch the AccuWeather Network on DIRECTV, Frontier, Spectrum, fuboTV, Philo, and Verizon Fios. AccuWeather Now is now available on your preferred streaming platform.
Report a Typo